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Welcome to Am I Infected

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Thank you for your understanding and future support of the best online support service for people living with, affected by and at risk for HIV.

You are conclusively hiv negative - the ICMA is a standard, accepted test. Don't worry about your hiv2 test - hiv 2 is exceedingly rare in the US.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple! Please read through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use them with confidence.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

The only reason I ask is because I had a cd4/cd8 test about 1 month ago and cd4 was around 700. Although the cd4 % was about 49.8%, and cd8% 24.1. Should I worry about these particular numbers? Also cd4/cd8 ratio was 2.07.

RapidRod,In your opinion as well as scientifically, is ICMA as sensitive/good of a test as Elisa? I had it done at 13 weeks. It was negative. I see Ann replied to my question, but does the HIV 1/O/2 screen for both 1&2? Do I need worry about pending HIV 2 EIA? Thanks again..Happy New Year

RapidRod: Two questions: 1)Do I need not worry about the HIV 2 EIA pending? I am hoping that delay is just the New Years delay--had blood drawn on 12/30/2009. 2) Can I take my ICMA results(12/31/2009) as conclusive at 13 weeks?Thanks

RapidRod, I will move on with my life and things then, and get my Dr. to figure out my chronic sore throat. Do I need any further HIV testing? I don't want to infect my wife if there is possibility of that. I am sure you get this time and time again. My latest negative test as I said is 13 weeks minimum post-encounter by ICMA(HIV antibodies). By the way, when is 3 months IN-conclusive, in the setting of a normal immune system? Can that occur or extremely rare? Appreciate all the info. I am going to try and educate myself as much as possible so I can relieve or discuss fears others may have. Thanks for your time again to this forum.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

OK, I will settle down about this. I just continue to have angular chelitis and sore throat. I will not post any longer about this. I just want to find an answer at this point to what is causing my illness, because there is something wrong, just have not found out what yet, and will look elsewhere than HIV. Thank you everyone for your input.

Ok, again thanks to all for the information and support. I will call him tomorrow looking for different avenues of causes. Does anyone have an opinion on which way one would go? Symptoms being the angular chelitis, sore throat, and episodie groin pain(maybe epididimysis). Does anyone think urology next step or stick with primary care doctor?Thanks again all and Happy New Year

Finally and last. Has anyone in this forum known of anyone to have positive antibody test after a negative 13 week test? Just wondering. I hope to be as reassuring to others as all of you have been. It means alot to me. Take care all

I've yet to see a SIX WEEK negative turn positive, never mind a three month negative.

You avoided my question of what your risk was, and that naturally leads me to believe you had no risk. We only give risk assessments and testing advice here. We don't do diagnosis.

If you read the Welcome Thread before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:

Quote

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

No, don't bother telling us what your risk was - you should have responded with that when first asked.

The bottom line is no matter what risk you did or did not have, you are conclusively hiv negative. You do not have hiv and it's time you moved on. Make sure you use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will remain hiv negative. It really is that simple!

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I will take the 13 week as conclusive then. I only had reservations due to ongoing symptoms and fear of infecting spouse. Going to see my doctor this afternoon to try and find direction of which avenue to take now. Not being all that knowledgeable puts some persistent thoughts in the brain about late serovonversion, but all the replies here help. Thanks again

I got HIV-2 by EIA today and was negative! Thanks all for your support. You are correct that guilt plays a significant role in things, but I have to convince myself that symptoms I am experiencing(which are valid ones) are not HIV related. I at this point just need to figure out what it is.

I do have a general question for the forum. Why are some labs using ICMA HIV 1/O/2 and others using ELISA? I see that the ICMA is fully automated and the ELISA is not. Is the ICMA just an easier test to do and becoming more for routine screening? My doctor didn't even know the answer. Thanks

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I appreciate all the information you have all given me. i have taken all of your information about my testing results and am forcing it into my brain. I'm sorry, just a skeptical person with new the newer technology. If I have anything else to report ever, I will let you all know. Take care and you all have a good weekend!

The ONLY lab test result relevant to this forum is an hiv antibody test.

I'm giving you that time out you've been warned about. You're clearly obsessing over an illness you do not have. Do not attempt to create a new account to get around your time out because if you do, you will be permanently banned.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Hello all. I last had encounter a little over 4 months ago with a girl. I don't know her status, but for argument sake, let's assume she's positive. I (male) received unprotected oral sex from her. She also, without protection and, fingered me internally and massaged my prostate without protection but with lotion. She possibly could have had cut/nicks on her finger that could have bled inside my rear end. I have had standard antibody test at 11,13,14,17 weeks--all negative, and most recent a rapid oraquick advanced fingerprick test that was negative at 18 weeks post exposure. I continue to have sore, irritated throat for three months without resolution. I also have neuropathy/tingling in both feet, hands, and face. I have lost 17 lbs. I believe that I have canadiasis and/or throat ulcer. I have done the spit test in a glass and I do in fact get the stringy strands you see with fungal infection. I have responded minimally to diflucan. I would be over this if it were not for the fact of symptoms that are getting worse and NOT better--especially the neuropathy--MRI of brain was normal. My doctors have not found a thing. I generally have been a healthy person. Do I need to continue to test for HIV since I7 week ELISA, 18 week rapid? CAN I take my tests as CONCLUSIVELY NEGATIVE? Whats the possibility of me testing positive after this long but still with symptoms. Does anyone know have any other thoughts? I appreciiate you all.

This day and age, would it be HIGHLY UNUSUAL to test negative at this point, and be actually positive at later test? Just scared here rapid. Are there any strains that my tests would not detect? Would you have any problems with me having unprotected sex with my wife? Thanks for your time.

Hey! We've been through this route with you before and we are not going to repeat it now. First of all, I have merged your latest one with the previous one. Please follow our rule and keep all of your entries in this same thread.

You have reliably tested negative repeatedly over an incident during which you were not at risk to begin with. And that has all been explained to you before. If you come back again with more drama about this same incident you are going to get yourself a Time Out. Consider yourself warned.

Get yourself some professional help if you can't let go of this unwarranted concern about HIV.

Thanks Andy. So would you say that no matter what the risk or current symptoms(which are real indeed), that my most recent tests are conclusive? Have you seen/spoke with anyone turning positive after negative test at 17,18 weeks? Thanks for allowing me the opportunity.

Your testing history is conclusive, you do not have HIV. You are not going to test positive at 17 or 18 weeks and we are not going to indulge you with pointless speculation about the arcana of HIV antibody testing.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I just wanted to thank you all for being supportive. I have got my six month EIA results back and they were negative. I am still trying to deal with persistant symptoms but I will work through it. My primary care doctor still wants me to see an infectious disease specialist even though all of my latest STD panel came back negative. I don't know if I should follow his advice or seek another opinion. What is the panels thoughts here? He is out of ideas and wants to explore possibilities of "slow converter" as he calls it, or non-detected strain. I will let you know if I follow his advice or seek another primary care docs opinion. Hope you all are doing well. Take Care

Your negative result is not a surprise to us. You are HIV negative. And you aren't a "slow convertor." Yes, do consult another doctor who knows what he's talking about.

You also need to know that you aren't going to be allowed another round of what ifs here. This is an HIV website and whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with HIV. If you start coming back again repeatedly three strikes and you're banned permanently from the website.

I've merged your latest remarks with your previous thread. Follow our rule and keep all entries in this same thread.

You need to get on with your life and it happily doesn't include HIV, whether you believe that or not. You would be better off seeing a counselor and discussing what's keeping you emotionally from letting go of this issue. We can't address that need in this setting.

Sorry for the posting mistake. I will take your advice then. I will seek another doctor and figure this thing out then. If I come back here, what questions am I allowed to ask? If physical symptoms would go away I would let this all go and never visit it again. Thanks again